FAQ | Advanced Spinal Care | NUCCA Chiropractic

How do you get a misaligned (subluxated) spine?

An accident or injury at some time in a person’s life causes their spine to misalign. It is not necessarily an injury that you would remember.

Examples of injuries are:

The birthing process.*
A fall as a child. **
Falling off a bicycle.
Playing sports.
Slipping on the ice.
Car accidents.
Twisting or popping your neck.
Hitting your head.

More Information…»
The list goes on and on. It is estimated that greater than 95% of the adult population has a misaligned spine.

*Research indicates that doctors use between 40-70 lbs of pressure on a baby’s head and neck during a non-traumatic delivery.
**Researchers have found the average child falls between 30-40 times per day.

How do I know if I have body imbalance and subluxations?

Answer

The best way to make sure that there is no distortion in your nervous system is to have your spine check by a NUCCA chiropractor. Some signs that you might have imbalances are tightness that is worse on one side of your body, pain when you move in a certain direction, unequal wear in your shoes or unlevel shoulders when you look in the mirror.

You can also have subluxations and not even know it. Like the early stages of tooth decay or cancer, subluxations can be present before warning signs appear. Body imbalance is determined by leg length disparity and postural distortion measured on an Anatometer.

Can you have a subluxation without experiencing pain?

Answer

Do you adjust children as well as adults?

Answer

Of course! The best time to have a spinal injury corrected is right after happens. For a lot of us that is when we are little. We encourage parents to bring their children in to have their spines checked as early as possible. Children’s bodies grow at an amazing rate. Early detection and correction will give your children the chance to grow into healthy, happy adults! The early signs of misalignment in little spines include:

Sleeping or eating problems.
Irritable or fussy.
Ear Infections.
Allergies/Asthma.
Hyperactivity/ADD.
Growing Pains.
Bed Wetting.
No Symptoms (misalignments can be silent.)

How is NUCCA different from other atlas adjustments?

Answer

Some chiropractor’s will use an instrument or machine to adjust the atlas, or top bone in the spine. While this is a much gentler approach to adjusting the atlas compared to traditional chiropractic methods, this is not the same as a NUCCA adjustment. NUCCA doctors don’t just adjust the atlas independent of the rest of the spinal bones; instead they use the atlas as a leverage point to re-align the entire spine back to a balanced position. It is for this reason that NUCCA doctors do not need to do additional adjustments to your middle or low back even though your atlas is ˜holding’. Furthermore, in addition to a supine leg check, NUCCA doctors use an Anatometer to measure hip height, pelvic rotation and body lean. These postural distortions are indicative of a spinal misalignment and brainstem pressure. NUCCA doctor’s also take post x-rays that verify the correction is accurate and complete.

Is it possible for me to go in and out of alignment on my own?

Answer

No, a true subluxation will not realign on its own. Many times patients may feel that they were “out of alignment” and they were able to regain alignment on their own. A true subluxation can only be corrected by a third party. What the individual likely felt was the adaptation of the body to stress that they were able to manage without assistance. Our goal in this office is to maintain the body in a state of reduced stress so the body can adapt to the stresses and strains of everyday life without requiring assistance to manage a breakdown.

How can such a light pressure make such dramatic changes?

Answer

For the same reason one is able to move a pile of heavy bricks with a light push of a wheelbarrow: leverage. Although the patient feels only a slight pressure behind their ear while being adjusted, there is adequate force being put into the neck. Using the first vertebra and the weight of the head to gain a biomechanical advantage, the doctor places their own body on a calculated angle to ensure the adjustment is specific to the patient’s individual misalignment. The force generated by the doctor is transferred to the patient in such a gentle and precise fashion that many patients are unaware of any intervention whatsoever.

How is the spinal correction calculated?

Answer

Between your first and second visit, the doctor will spend about an hour analyzing your films to determine a specific formula for your spinal correction using precise mathematical calculations, physics, and biomechanics. Each formula is calculated for that individual patient and no two spinal corrections are alike. X-rays are a critical part of ensuring the spinal correction is accurate and successful.

Are x-rays really necessary?

Answer

Absolutely! Precise spinal x-rays are imperative for our adjusting procedures. We are often dealing with misalignments as small as ¾ of a degree, which is 1/10,000 of an inch (The thickness of a fingernail). With such small misalignments the precision x-rays that we take, allow us to calculate the correct method to restore the misalignment to a better position, thus allowing your body to begin the healing process.

Due to special lead filters that block out a majority of the radiation, the radiation exposure is extremely low with our upper cervical x-ray series. The NAS (National Academy of Sciences) considers a single exposure of the whole body of 50,000 mrems (50 rems) to be a high level dose.

NUCCA x-ray series – < .22 mrems
Flight from LA to Paris – 4.8 mrems
Dental x-ray (whole mouth) – 310 mrems
Apollo x moon flight -480 mrems
Barium Enema (x-ray study) – 8,000 mrems
Radiation treatment for cancer – 6,000,000 mrems

Are all patients adjusted the same way?

Answer

How many adjustments will I need?

Answer

The number of adjustments needed varies from person to person. The reasons for this include:

Patient compliance (following the doctor’s recommendations.)
The amount of damage to the spinal structures.
Exercise habits.
Spiritual health.
Emotional and physical stress.
The shape of your spinal bones.

During the initial stabilization period, a number of NUCCA chiropractic corrections may be necessary. Once the spine stabilizes (usually within the first six months), many patients hold their correction for 3 to 6 months at a time. Our corrections generally hold much longer than other types of chiropractic adjustments.

How long until I feel better?

Answer

Our patients generally respond very rapidly to the NUCCA chiropractic procedure. The reason for this is because of the precision of the correction. The better the quality of the spinal correction, the better the recovery. Many factors are involved with you feeling better, including:

Type and severity of the condition(s)
How long you have had the condition
What other treatments you have had
Medications you are taking
Compliance with the doctor’s recommendations
Age

Most patients get results with the first spinal correction, but the first six to eight weeks after the initial correction is considered a process of healing and recovery. Body balance will be closely monitored during this period to ensure the correction is maintained and healing continues.

How long will I need NUCCA chiropractic care?

Answer

Can I have adjustments after back surgery?

Answer

Are your methods safe?

Answer

Yes. A New Zealand government study found that adjustments are remarkably safe. By avoiding drugs and risky surgery, NUCCA chiropractic care enjoys an excellent track record. A thorough exam can identify the rare person for whom NUCCA chiropractic care might be unsuited. The precise and gentle nature of the NUCCA correction requires NO SNAPPING, POPPING OR TWISTING OF THE NECK OR BACK. The adjustment is extremely safe, gentle and effective.

Will insurance cover NUCCA chiropractic services?

Answer

What if my policy doesn’t cover your services?

Answer

We recommend that you don’t base your decision to get care or not, on an insurance company’s coverage. Your health affects everything you do and everyone you know. It is your most valuable possession. Yet, each of us is free to place a different value on our health. It’s convenient when an insurance company or third party helps pay the bill. But be careful! Don’t allow the profit motive of a huge corporation to make the decision for you. Find out how we make our services affordable for just about anyone.

What type of education do NUCCA chiropractors get?

Answer

NUCCA doctors must first get a Doctorate of Chiropractic, which is a 4-year post-Bachelorette Doctorate Degree. Then NUCCA doctors must pass 4 rigorous National Board of Chiropractic Examiners Exams. These certificates allow a person to practice under the umbrella of Chiropractic Medicine and do not include specific training in the NUCCA Procedure. To practice NUCCA, doctors must then attend regular bi-annual seminars and seek certification in the NUCCA Procedure.

NUCCA has the only chiropractic certification program that includes metrics based on clinical competency and post X-ray evaluation. All doctors wishing to practice NUCCA are encouraged to go through the certification process. This certification includes a Level 1, Level 2 and then Board Certification. There are currently only 24 doctors in the world that are Board Certified.

The Doctors at Advance Spinal Care attend regular continuing education, specifically in the NUCCA Procedure, allowing our clinic to deliver top notch NUCCA care.

Now that your questions are answered, click the button below to schedule your NUCCA evaluation today.

Schedule Now

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you get a misaligned (subluxated) spine?

How do I know if I have body imbalance and subluxations?

Can you have a subluxation without experiencing pain?

Do you adjust children as well as adults?

How is NUCCA different from other atlas adjustments?

Is it possible for me to go in and out of alignment on my own?

How can such a light pressure make such dramatic changes?

How is the spinal correction calculated?

Are x-rays really necessary?

Are all patients adjusted the same way?

How many adjustments will I need?

How long until I feel better?

How long will I need NUCCA chiropractic care?

Can I have adjustments after back surgery?

Are your methods safe?

Will insurance cover NUCCA chiropractic services?

What if my policy doesn’t cover your services?

What type of education do NUCCA chiropractors get?

CONNECT WITH US

FIND OUR OFFICE

CONNECT WITH US

FIND OUR OFFICE